Murray Kinsella reports from San Mamés, Bilbao
21 GAMES AS a professional, 21 wins.
James Ryan is still just 21 years of age but as his remarkable run in the pro game continues, he has already become one of the best players in the sport.
It’s not just the results that count, of course, but Ryan’s performances in many of those fixtures have been important factors in the positive outcomes for Leinster and Ireland.
He was a key figure as Joe Schmidt’s Ireland drove to a Grand Slam this year and his form has much been of the same calibre in a Leinster jersey, with his man-of-the-match showing in today’s dramatic 15-12 Champions Cup final win over Racing the latest in a long string of outstanding displays.
Rarely before has such a young player been such a dominant physical presence. Ryan lives for the contact, collisions and the contest.
He got through another 11 carries and 12 tackles in Bilbao, with so many of them being the kind of small wins that make a difference in a ferocious, Test-level encounter of this nature.
Ryan is intelligent in how he uses his body – accelerating, twisting, dipping, exploding, decelerating, fighting, and leg-driving at just the right times to eke his way beyond the gain line and present the ball cleanly.
His tackle technique against bulkier ball carriers is very often educational in its quality, as he drives in low at the legs with the kind of venomous wrap of the arms that instantly kills their ability to gain yards after the first contact.
At lineout time, Ryan and Leinster had their troubles against Racing’s defence — the best in the competition and brilliant here once again — but there were some important wins under pressure from Donnacha Ryan too.
Racing’s Irish lock, let us not forget, was a starter under Schmidt up until relatively recently and his departure to France meant Ireland lost one of their main second rows.
The worries over his absence have largely been eased with the startling emergence of Leinster’s Ryan, though.
The former St. Michael’s student was marked out from a very early stage as a player of rich potential, with Leinster and Schmidt taking a keen interest.
Ryan was always likely to be fast-tracked after captaining the Ireland U20s and that proved to be the case as Schmidt capped him in Japan last summer, the second row making an instant impact in setting up a try after being introduced from the bench.
The Dublin man’s mindset is a key factor in his rise — he has expected and targeted every bit of this success. Ryan is not a cocky man, far from it, but he has an expectation of competing with and beating the best in the world.
Ryan’s professionalism is also beyond his years, with analysis, recovery and pre-habilitation efforts similar to those of a much more experienced player who learned the hard way how important those elements are.
In the rain at San Mamés, Ryan once again showed the results of his preparation as he looked as fresh as ever, even after what has been a demanding campaign that has seen him consistently deliver.
It is frightening to imagine just how much Ryan could achieve in the game if he can steer clear of severe injuries in the years to come.
With his proven leadership skills in underage rugby already beginning to become apparent in senior professional rugby, the prospect of him captaining Leinster and Ireland is very real too.
There will inevitably be tough times and it seems unlikely that every season will be as good as this one for Ryan, but his current ability and potential to become even better are thrilling for Leinster and Irish rugby.
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And to think of all the Morons on here who questioned his ability cos he only scored goals in….. eh….France, Spain, Italy, holland. Now he’s scored against the dross that England has to offer they surely must be eating their words.
Imagine what he would have done in the EPL in his prime.
He’s a beast
I wanted him to fail for obvious reasons but has any other player proved to be a great player in all the top leagues, can’t think of any.
Yeah, have to give him credit. He’s already hit 20 goals with, at the very least, 18 games still to go.
A beast will you get a grip ffs
Class act.
Lots of ignorant idiots saying we wouldn’t make double figures for the season. Read the stats and weep
Hopefully he stays fit cos if he dont we’re gone.hes going the right way to becoming a club legend
I’ve been saying for years how underrated he actually is when you compare him to Messi and Ronaldo. He’s consistently been the top striker in the world and top 5 or 6 in the world for about 15 years. I’m a Liverpool fan so wanted him to fail obviously but he’s such an incredible player and should go down as one of the greatest ever
Hahaahahaah are you disturbed
How many has coutinho ?
Who the midfielder who every top club in Europe would take tomorrow . More then any midfielder the Mancs have that’s for sure .
Give it a rest Johnny what’s this got to do with him.
Who who ?? What are you a fking owl ?
Mata has the same amount of prem goals as coutinho and more overall.
They both have 5 league goals, as does Ozil and Eriksen. One more than Pog and Gareth McAuley.
Just debunking another claim from marcus bale. He’s the sean spicer of the 42!
Jenny BlaBlavo: i said who once and that joke i heard in school in 1972 i think which proves what most already know . Your a young slightly stupid little child . I’ll finish off like you do with a big Blahaahaahahahahahahahah
@Johnny Bravo: What does Coutinho have to do with this story? Ibra is an Striker. Couthinho is a midfielder. Were you born this way?
Debunking what you amadán. Brining politics into football . That’s the foreign in you i suppose . Sticking the beak in
Don’t start him off . You will get thinking he will then get a big nose bleed and just start Blahaahaahahahahahahahah out of him . Remember he is only 13 or 14 years of age and possibly a slight bit stupid
He doesn’t foreign stop
Debunking what you said! I’m comparing you to another well known fabricator of alternative truths. I’m Irish by the by not that nationality has anything to with me proving you wrong. Don’t get too upset about being called on it.
It’s getting old isn’t it!
@bognar Sussex : do you not make any of your own points or do you just go round checking other people’s for specific times dates etc… seriously are you some sort of human spell check or just a weirdo . Politics is boring but it’s desperate to mix with football and looking to then converse with . Seriously foreign
He’s finished!!
Sure has 20 and counting
I’m guessing my sarcasm was missed!
Lukaku has 16 in the league already
16 goals for Everton at this stage of season is brilliant . He is on fire . Some ability . Still only young .
Very true Marcus. They are a good side under koeman